Questionaire Regarding Education

and Free Movement in EPBS’

Member countries

Student’s Forum 2006

Countries answering
the questionaire
• Austria • Italy
• Belgium • Netherland
• Denmark • Norway
• Finland • Portugal
• France • Slovakia
• Germany • Spain
• Iceland • Sweden
• Ireland • Switzerland
 Years before Biomedical education

16

14

12

10

2
Belgium (French)

Belgium (Flamish)

Slovakia (Sec)
Slovakia (Uni)
0

Switzerland
Netherland
Germany
Denmark

Norway

Portugal

Sweden
Finland

Iceland
Austria

Ireland
France

Spain
Italy

Average number of years before applying to BMS is 12 years.

In some countries preschool is included in the total number of years
 BMS Education at Secondary Level
Ratio: School / million of inhabiting
(Secondary / Post Secondary)

1,6
1,4
1,2
1
0,8
0,6
0,4
0,2
0
Slovakia (Secondary School) Germany

No data received from: France, Spain or Switzerland.

 BMS Education at Tertiary Level
Ratio: School / million of inhabiting
(Polytechnics / University college / University)
3,5 3,3

3,0

2,5

2,0

1,5 1,5
1,5

1,0 1,0 1,0

1,0 0,9 0,9
0,8
0,6 0,6
0,5

0,0
Belgium (Flamish)

Slovakia
Iceland

Ireland

Sweden
Portugal
Denmark

Finland
Austria

Norway
Italy

No data received from: France, Belgium (French) or Netherlands.

 Entrance Requirements

• Knowlegde in basic Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics,

Physics and English from secondary school should be a
requirement.

• English is an important subject because it is needed in

everyday work. It is especially important for the Bologna
process and mobility.
 Countries with admission tests:

Yes No
Austria Belgium
Finland Denmark
France Iceland
Germany Ireland
Italy Netherlands
Portugal Norway
Slovakia Spain
Switzerland Sweden

Some countries without admission tests have entrance requirements

 Education in BMS
Curriculum

The EPBS is taking steps to bring about harmonisation of

Education and Training of Biomedical Scientists throughout
Europe. The standard envisaged is a minimum of 4 years of
higher Education (240 ECTS) including supervised clinical
practice.
 Curriculum - Core Sciences

Core Sciences

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Anatomy and physiology/ Physics/biophysics Chemistry Mathematics/Biostatistics
Biology
 Toxicology
Human Genetics
Curriculum - Scientific area

General Microbiology
& Epidemiology
General Pathology &
Pathophysiology
Histology/Embryology
Immunology
Molecular biology
Biochemistry
100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
 In
tro
du
ct
io
n
to
th
e
pr

0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
of
es
C sio
lin n
ica
l M
ic
ro
bi
C o lo
lin g y
ica
l Im
m
un
o lo
g y
H
ae
m
at
C ol
lin og
ica y
l Bi
o ch
es
Im m
m C itr
y
ha lin
em ica
at l Pa
ol
og th
y o lo
or g y
t ra
ns
f.
s ci
en
c es
C
lin
ica
l C
yt
ol
og
M y
ed
ic
al
ge
n et
An ic
al s
yt
ic
al
m
et
ho
d s

Bi
o
Curriculum - Specific for Biomedical Sciences

sa
fe
ty
Q
ua
lity
co
Bi nt
om ro
l
Curriculum – Specific Biomedical Sciences

ed
ica
l sc
ie
nc
e
 Curriculum - Complementary areas

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Human and Systems of Economy & Bioethics Individual Scientific
Social Sciences information management in project w ork / English
health care Thesis
systems
 The mandatory areas of knowlegde in Education of a BMS.
The minimum requirements

• Basic Subjects
Anatomy and physiology/Biology
Physics/biophysics
Chemistry
Mathematics/Biostatistics

• Specific subjects
Scientific area Specific for Biomedical Complementary areas
Sciences

Biochemistry Introduction to the profession Human and Social Sciences

Molecular biology Clinical Microbiology Systems of information
Immunology Clinical Immunology
Economy & management in health
Histology/Embryology Haematology
care systems
General Pathology & Pathophysiology Clinical Biochesmitry Bioethics
General Microbiology & Epidemiology Clinical Pathology Individual project work / Thesis
Human Genetics Immunohaematology or transfusion Scientific English
Toxicology sciences
Clinical Cytology
Medical genetics
Analytical methods
Bio safety
Quality control
Biomedical science
Examples of Grading Systems
– Qualitative evaluation:

• Fail or pass
• Fail, pass or pass with honour

– Quantitative evaluation

• 1-20 (failed below 10)

• 1-13 (failed below 8)
• 1-6 (failed below 4)
• 5-1 (failed above 4)
• A-F
This is the actual situation
In the future you will have ECTS-credits.
 Clinical Training
Country Clinical laboratory Research laboratory Others
Austria X X
Belgium (French) X X Industrial
Belgium (Flamish) X
Denmark X X Industrial
Finland X X
France X X
Germany X X Industrial
Iceland X X
Ireland X X
Italy X X
Netherland X X Industrial
Norway X X
Portugal X Public health
Slovakia X
Spain X
Sweden X X
Switzerland X X
 Education System and Strategies

Year 1 Theory
(Baseline)
Problem-Based
Learning

Practical Work

Problem-Based
Advanced Theory Required Reading
Learning

Assignments Examinations
(Thesis, Projects etc.) (Theoretical and Practical)
BSc
The students’ opinion about professional title

It’s difficult to define a professional title when we have

different education levels that define our profession.

Our suggestions are:

Biomedical Scientist
Biomedical Laboratory Scientist
Thank you for listening!

Anna Paulsen - Sweden

Armando Caseiro - Portugal
Britta Obrist - Austria
Bettina Feldkirchner - Austria
Emilia Wiklund - Sweden
Berna Guest - Ireland
Helene Bustad Johannessen - Norway
Marius Eduardo Bra Obreque - Norway
Pavol Jankura - Slovakia
Dorien Van der Vloet - Belgium